This core indicator evaluates the status of the marine environment based on concentrations of heavy metal Mercury (Hg) in fish muscle. Quantitative threshold value is used to evaluate if core indicators status is "Achieve", "Fail" or "Not assessed". Threshold values are based on Environmental quality standards (EQS), defined at EU level for substances included in the priority list under the Water Framework Directive. This dataset displays the result of the indicator in HELCOM Assessment Scale 4 (Division of the Baltic Sea into 17 sub-basins and further division into coastal and off-shore areas and division of the coastal areas by WFD water types or water bodies). Attribute information: "OBJECTID" = Object identification "HELCOM_ID" = Code of the HELCOM scale 4 assessment unit "Descriptio" = Description of the HELCOM scale 4 assessment unit "Contamination ratio" = Contamination ratio in biota for this substance "STATUS" = Status of the indicator in biota, which in this case is also the overall Status, one-out-all-out (“Achieve”, “Fail” or “Not assessed”) "AULEVEL" = Assessment unit level used for the indicator

This dataset describes fishing intensity for SSC DMF mobile bottom contacting gear in 2011 based on VMS/Log book data processed by ICES Working Group on Spatial Fisheries Data (WGSFD). ICES secretariat collected during 2017 relevant VMS and logbook data for 2009-2016 to produce, as a technical service to HELCOM, updated spatial data layers on fishing intensity/pressure. Improved data quality control checks were implemented. Submitted data across the HELCOM area have improved in quality compared to previous data 2009-2013 published in 2015. Standardized methods were used to produce the requested data layers. The code used to create the data products is available here: https://github.com/ices-eg/wg_WGSFD For further technical information on the advice request, see http://www.ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2017/Special_requests/helcom.2017.18.pdf HELCOM secretariat did the following processing to the shapefile provided by ICES: - Conversion to ETRS89LAEA coordinate system - Added feature and attribute "Reported" to display unreported areas. Dataset attribute information: c-square: Unique reference of the c-square polygon Year: Year of fishing activity mid_lat: latitude coordinate of the centroid of c-square inWGS84 decimal degrees mid_lon: longitude coordinate of the centroid of c-square inWGS84 decimal degrees SurfaceSAR: Surface area ratio (Swept area, < 2 cm penetration depth of the gear components) Subsurface: Subsurface area ratio (Swept area, subsurface =>2 cm penetration depth of the gear components) totweight: Total Weight (kg) totvalue: Total value (Euros) Kw Fishing Hours: (Kw*h) Fishing hours: (h) Reported: Yes=Reported data. No= No reported data (area that does not contain effort/intensity value due to lack of reported data). Please note that this dataset was updated (v2) in January 2019, see further details below in the lineage section.

This core indicator evaluates the status of the marine environment based on population trends and abundance of the three species of seals that occur in the Baltic Sea. This dataset is for Grey seal. Good status is achieved for each species when the abundance of seals in each management unit is at least 10,000 individuals and the species-specific growth rate is achieved. Harbour seals in the southwestern Baltic and the Kattegat form a metapopulation, where subpopulations are genetically connected. The combined sizes of the subpopulations are here used to evaluate the Limit Reference level (LRL). The status evaluation is presented separately for the three seal species. The grey seal in the Baltic proper is evaluated as a single unit, whereas the Kattegat grey seals are evaluated separately. The status of ringed seals is evaluated for two management units. The status of harbour seals is evaluated for three management units. Grey seal dataset displays the result of the indicator in HELCOM Assessment Scale 1 (whole Baltic Sea) so that Baltic proper is evaluated as a single unit, whereas the Kattegat grey seals are evaluated separately. Attribute information: "level_1" = Name of assessment unit for the evaluation "AULEVEL" = Assessment unit level used for the indicator "Status" = Status of the indicator (“Achieve”, “Fail” or “Not assessed”) "Unit of indicator" = Unit of indicator (Abundance - Grey seal / % decrease) "Threshold" = Threshold value "Area (km2)" = Area of HELCOM assessment unit "Indicator" = Indicator value "ConfA" = Confidence of classification "ConfT" = Temporal confidence of classification "ConfS" = Spatial confidence of classification "ConfM" = Methodological confidence of classification "Notes" = Additional information

This core indicator evaluates the status of the marine environment based on the arrival of new non-indigenous species. The new NIS have been detected both through regular environmental monitoring activities and incidental sightings. The data have been verified by national experts. Monitoring is not considered to sufficiently cover all areas of the Baltic Sea and hot spot areas for new introductions (e.g. ports) to allow for the conclusion that in areas where no new NIS have been observed there have not been any new introductions. This dataset displays the result of the indicator in HELCOM Assessment Scale 1 (whole Baltic Sea). Attribute information: "level_1" = Name of the HELCOM scale 1 assessment unit "Area (km2)" = Area of the HELCOM scale 1 assessment unit "Status" = Status of the indicator (“Achieve”, “Fail” or “Not assessed”) "AULEVEL" = Assessment unit level used for the indicator

Observations of Pomatoschistus norvegicus were collected from the Baltic Sea area for HELCOM Red List species list. The HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea species in danger of becoming extinct (2013) is the first threat assessment for Baltic Sea species that covers all marine mammals, fish, birds, macrophytes (aquatic plants), and benthic invertebrates, and follows the Red List criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Almost 2800 species were considered in the Red List assessment and about 1750 were evaluated according to the IUCN Red List criteria. The map shows the sub-basin in the HELCOM area where the species is known to occur regularly and to reproduce (HELCOM 2012). Pomatoschistus norvegicus has been placed to the Red List category of Data Deficient (DD) species.

This dataset describes fishing effort (hours/c-square) for all gear types in 2012 based on VMS/Log book data processed by ICES Working Group on Spatial Fisheries Data (WGSFD). HELCOM requires spatially explicit information on fishing activity affecting the Baltic Sea marine ecosystem for policy purposes. In order to obtain this information a joint ICES/HELCOM/OSPAR data call was issued to relevant authorities of contracting parties to deliver information on fishing activity based on VMS/Log book data. The raw data was submitted to ICES and processed to advice data products by ICES Working Group for Spatial Fisheries (WGSFD) as requested by HELCOM. Processing of the raw data requires specific resources, knowledge and guarantee of anonymity for specific vessels, thus the process was done by ICES WGSFD following Conditions for VMS data use. In 2015 ICES collated Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and logbook data received; data from Russia were not received. ICES provided to HELCOM advice as fishing abrasion pressure maps as well as fishing effort maps. HELCOM secretariat did the following processing to the data: - Conversion to ETRS89LAEA coordinate system - Added feature and attribute "Reported" to display unreported areas. Dataset attribute information: c-square: Unique reference of the c-square polygon mid_lat: latitude coordinate of the centroid of c-square inWGS84 decimal degrees mid_lon: longitude coordinate of the centroid of c-square inWGS84 decimal degrees Year: Year of fishing activity quarter: Quarter of the year, if applicable geargroup: Fishing gear group (Effort maps) SubsurfSAR: Subsurface swept area ratio (Intensity maps) SurfSAR: Surface swept area ratio (Intensity maps) Fishing_ho: Total fishing effort in hours within c-square (Effort maps) Reported: Yes=Reported data. No= No reported data (area that does not contain effort/intensity value due to lack of reported data)

This dataset describes fishing intensity for DRB MOL mobile bottom contacting gear in 2009 based on VMS/Log book data processed by ICES Working Group on Spatial Fisheries Data (WGSFD). ICES secretariat collected during 2017 relevant VMS and logbook data for 2009-2016 to produce, as a technical service to HELCOM, updated spatial data layers on fishing intensity/pressure. Improved data quality control checks were implemented. Submitted data across the HELCOM area have improved in quality compared to previous data 2009-2013 published in 2015. Standardized methods were used to produce the requested data layers. The code used to create the data products is available here: https://github.com/ices-eg/wg_WGSFD For further technical information on the advice request, see http://www.ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2017/Special_requests/helcom.2017.18.pdf HELCOM secretariat did the following processing to the shapefile provided by ICES: - Conversion to ETRS89LAEA coordinate system - Added feature and attribute "Reported" to display unreported areas. Dataset attribute information: c-square: Unique reference of the c-square polygon Year: Year of fishing activity mid_lat: latitude coordinate of the centroid of c-square inWGS84 decimal degrees mid_lon: longitude coordinate of the centroid of c-square inWGS84 decimal degrees SurfaceSAR: Surface area ratio (Swept area, < 2 cm penetration depth of the gear components) Subsurface: Subsurface area ratio (Swept area, subsurface =>2 cm penetration depth of the gear components) (this attribute is visualised in MADS) totweight: Total Weight (kg) totvalue: Total value (Euros) Kw Fishing Hours: (Kw*h) Fishing hours: (h) Reported: Yes=Reported data. No= No reported data (area that does not contain effort/intensity value due to lack of reported data). Please note that this dataset was updated (v2) in January 2019, see further details below in the lineage section.

A vector grid in 2 x 2 km resolution showing the environmental sensitivity and the underlying themes that have caused the final vulnerability in summer for the Baltic Sea area. This dataset has been produced by COWI (http://www.cowi.dk) for the BRISK project (Sub-regional risk of spill of oil and hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea, http://www.brisk.helcom.fi/). Sensitivity map is based on datasets provided by the BRISK Project Partner organisations. The detailed documentation of what partner provided what data is given in the Annex of the document: 70618-3.1.2.2 Data Collection Report. Field explanations: RS_SR: Rocky shores and stony reefs, Estuaries; Estuaries, Lagoons: Coastal lagoons, Bays: Shallow inlets and bays, Sandbanks: Underwater Sand banks, Beach: Sandy beaches, Seagrass: Sea grass, meadows, Spawning: Spawning area for fish with demersal eggs, Nursery: Nursery areas for fish on shallow water, Off_spawn: Offshore spawning areas for fish with pelagic eggs, Win_Birds: Wintering areas for sea and shore birds, Staging: Staging areas for migrating sea and shore birds, Breeding: Breeding areas for sea and shore birds, Moulting: Moulting areas for sea birds, Mammals: Marine Mammals, Protected: Protected areas, Aquacult:: Fish farms and aqua cultures, Sum: Weighted vulnerability index, Index: Not used Weighted vulnerability index is used to depict vulnerability for the Baltic Sea. Certain parameters have been used to map the environmental sensitivity to oil and each has been weighted for four seasons based on expert judgment. Two alternative sensitivity weighting matrices were also prepared in order to evaluate and validate the results. The sensitivity maps has been combined with the data on oil impact to model environmental damage, and to quantitatively compare the relative efect of the proposed new measures to reduce the risk, impact and damage of oil. Underlaying paramenters used in the vulnerability calculation can be obtained from HELCOM map service under Shipping\Risk Assessment (BRISK)\Environmental parameters -folder.

The data set is indicating important spots where sea- and shore birds breed in the Baltic Sea area. This dataset depicts breeding areas of birds as pointwise locations used for the BRISK project (Sub-regional risk of spill of oil and hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea, http://www.brisk.helcom.fi/). This dataset has been produced by COWI (http://www.cowi.dk) based on data collected from Baltic sea countries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland (Finnish data Copyright: SYKE, The Finnish data is lacking small bays of the Finnish coastline. These bays are important for birds), Germany, Latvia, Poland, Russia, Sweden). The dataset includes data provided by the BRISK Project Partner organisations from various Baltic Sea countries. The detailed documentation of what partner provided what data is given in the Annex of the document: 70618-3.1.2.2 Data Collection Report. About 20 species of seabirds breed along the coast of thee Baltic. The Archipelago areas in Finland and Sweden are the most important breeding areas. They are very vulnurable to oil spill. The data includes important spots where seabirds nests.

Observations of Stomphia coccinea were collected from the Baltic Sea area for HELCOM Red List species list. The HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea species in danger of becoming extinct (2013) is the first threat assessment for Baltic Sea species that covers all marine mammals, fish, birds, macrophytes (aquatic plants), and benthic invertebrates, and follows the Red List criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Almost 2800 species were considered in the Red List assessment and about 1750 were evaluated according to the IUCN Red List criteria. Stomphia coccinea has been placed to the Red List category of Vulnerable (VU) species. Dataset for download contains spatial grid of the Baltic Sea. Distribution of the species can be found in corresponding name column. Values are coded: 1 - Present before year 2000 or in 2000, 2 - Present after year 2000, 3 - Present both before and after year 2000.